Request reference: FOI 10161
Issue date: 06.11.24
Request received:
Information regarding North Devon District Council's expenditure on hotel accommodation for homelessness and refugee support over the last 12 months:
1. The total expenditure on hotel accommodation for homelessness and refugee-related purposes during the specified period
2. Number of hotel nights booked for individuals experiencing homelessness and/or refugees
3. A list of hotels where bookings were made, along with the respective amounts spent at each hotel
The applicant requested that the information be provided in a spreadsheet format, with the breakdown by month, if available
Response provided:
The applicant was advised that the Council does hold this information, however some of it is only recorded and managed per financial year (Q1 and Q3):
1. In accordance with Section 21 of the Act, the applicant was directed to the published dataset per financial year which is updated annually: cost of providing temporary accommodation to the Council with the last update carried out 25 September 2024
2. 3,631 nights for the last 12 months. The Housing team confirms that they are unable to provide a monthly breakdown as the information is not recorded in a way that enables them to do so
3. Applicant provided with a spreadsheet for 2023/24 (which is available upon request), with some of the data redacted under Section 40 of the Act as the information constitutes personal data that identifies individuals who would have no reasonable expectation for the Council to make their personal information publicly available. A disclosure under the Act to a requester is also a disclosure to the world at large and therefore places the information into the public domain. Section 40(2) provides that personal data is exempt information if one of the conditions set out in section 40(3A), (3B) or (4A) is satisfied
In this case Section 40(3A)(A) is met because disclosure of this information would breach the fair processing principle contained in the General Data Protection Regulation. This is an absolute exemption and there is therefore no requirement to consider the public interest
Request reference: FOI 10164
Issue date: 08.11.24
Request received:
Stray and Dangerous Dog Kennelling Data – Applicant requested the completion of an Excel spreadsheet
Response provided:
Completed Excel spreadsheet provided to the applicant with the Council’s response, which is available upon request
Request reference: EIR 10170
Issue date: 22.11.24
Request received:
Highways correspondence on PA60488 and 74379 that is not already published via the Planning Tracker
Response provided:
Applicant provided with information held on both files, with some personal data redacted throughout under Regulation 13 (personal data)
Request reference: EIR 10176
Issue date: 20.11.24
Request received:
A copy of the unpublished information on Planning file 64005
Response provided:
Some unpublished information was provided to the applicant, with some personal data redacted throughout under Regulation 13 (personal data)
Request reference: FOI 10180
Issue date: 05.11.24
Request received:
The number and cost of personal injury claims received by the council over the months October - February from the last five calendar years? If possible, could these be segmented by type of personal injury claim?
Response provided:
Applicant provided with this information in Excel format, which is available upon request
Request reference: FOI 10182
Issue date: 08.11.24
Request received:
Information request relating to the council's total FTE staff for 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25:
• The total number of staff employed (full-time, part-time, and temporary)
• A breakdown of staff numbers by department or service area
Response provided:
01/04/2022
Total headcount - 427
Full Time - 339
Part Time - 88
Temporary - 10
Headcount by Service
Customer Focus - 78
Environmental Enhancement - 156
Governance - 31
Head of Paid Service/Director of Resources - 2
Organisational Development – 5
Place, Property and Regeneration – 55
Planning, Housing and Health – 97
Programme Management – 3
01/04/2023
Total headcount – 423
Full Time – 344
Part Time – 79
Temporary – 10
Headcount by Service
Customer Focus – 76
Environmental Enhancement – 163
Governance – 33
Head of Paid Service/Director of Resources – 2
Organisational Development – 5
Place, Property and Regeneration – 55
Planning, Housing and Health – 86
Programme Management – 3
01/04/2024
Total headcount – 454
Full Time – 364
Part Time – 90
Temporary – 14
Headcount by Service
Customer Focus – 77
Environmental Enhancement – 177
Governance – 33
Head of Paid Service/Director of Resources – 2
Organisational Development – 6
Place, Property and Regeneration – 61
Planning, Housing and Health – 95
Programme Management – 3
Request reference: FOI 10186
Issue date: 18.11.24
Request received:
The total number of light pollution statutory nuisance complaints received during November, December and January in 2021, 2022 and 2023
Response provided:
2021: November = Five, December = Three, January = Zero
2022: November = Two, December = One, January = Three
2023: November = One, December = Two, January = One
Request reference: FOI 10188
Issue date: 18.11.24
Request received:
- How many full planning applications have been made in total since 2 April 2024?
- How many of those applications are subject to mandatory BNG (i e not covered by the Biodiversity Gain Requirements (Exemptions) Regulations 2024), and please could you provide the application reference numbers for those?
Response provided:
- This information is published via the Council’s Planning Tracker and can be found using the advance search facility as linked above
- Unfortunately the Planning department confirm that they are unable to provide this as their system (Mastergov) does not currently have a reporting facility to identify such applications. Therefore, the only way in which this can be answered would require a manual search of every planning application identified within the search for 1 above and this would far exceed 18 hours to carry out and provide; therefore this part of the request was refused under Section 12 of the Act
Request reference: FOI 10190
Issue date: 04.11.24
Request received:
1. The number of staff (FTEs) involved in the delivery of the Grounds Maintenance service and a list of their roles
2. A list of the vehicles used in the delivery of Grounds Maintenance Service
3. A list of the main pieces of equipment used in the delivery of the Grounds Maintenance Service
4. The number and size (in square feet) of any depot premises used in the delivery of the Grounds Maintenance Service
5. Details of any supply contracts used for the delivery of the Grounds Maintenance Service including purpose and annual value
6. The total budget for the Grounds Maintenance Service
Response provided:
1. One Parks Manager, one Parks Officer, one Supervisor, one Horticulturalist, one play area inspector, eight Grounds Maintenance Operatives
2. one beavertail van, one e transit panel van, one crew cab transit, three transit tipper vans
3. one Iseki F450, one Kubota F series flail, two Ferris zero turns, one Ransomes batwing, four Ferris pedestrian mowers (two rotary, two flail)
4. Buildings 203m2, yard areas 862m2
5. One Fountain maintenance £10,090, one QTRA surveys £8000, one play
Inspection app £4000
6. £842,670
Request reference: FOI 10193
Issue date: 25.11.24
Request received:
1. The average length of time households spent in temporary accommodation (including bed and breakfasts, hotels) after making a homelessness application to the council (NB: The average time for households whose temporary accommodation finished within these time periods so won't include recently made applications within time period.)
a) between April 1st 2023 and March 31st 2024
b) between April 1st 2024 and September 30th 2024
2. The average length of time households with children spent in temporary accommodation (including bed and breakfasts, hotels) after making a homelessness application to the council:
a) between April 1st 2023 and March 31st 2024
b) between April 1st 2024 and September 30th 2024
Response provided:
1. a) 82 days
b) 40 days
2. a) 114 days
b) 44.5 days
Request reference: FOI 10196
Issue date: 25.11.24
Request received:
1. Do you follow the NJC pay spine?
2. Do you follow NJC pay awards?
3. Please provide the pay and grading structure used by your authority for NJC workers, including any local extension of the pay spine
4. If you don’t follow NJC pay please provide the pay and grading structure used by your authority
5. Please provide the basic pay and gender distribution of NJC workers employed by your local authority for each pay point you use, including any local extension of the pay spine, as in the template below: Please do not include school support staff
6. If you don’t follow NJC pay please provide this information for your workforce excluding school support staff. Applicant requested that this information be provided within an Excel spreadsheet
7. Has your authority adopted/followed the Living Wage rate as set by the Living Wage Foundation?
8. Which Foundation Living Wage rate have you adopted?
· London - £13.15/hour
· Outside London - £12.00/hour
· Other (please specify rate)
9. How are you implementing the Foundation Living Wage rate?
· As a supplement
· Integrated into your grading structure
· Other (please specify)
10. Are you an accredited Living Wage Foundation employer?
11. If you have not implemented the Foundation Living Wage, are you committed to doing so in the future?
12. If yes to Q11, when do you propose to implement it?
13. What is your percentage gender pay gap?
• Mean
• Median
14. What is your percentage ethnicity pay gap?
• Mean
• Median
Response provided:
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Applicant provided with this information in PDF format, which is available upon request
4. Not Applicable
5. Applicant provided with this information in Excel format, which is available upon request
6. Not Applicable
7. No
8. Not Applicable
9. Not Applicable
10. Not applicable
11. No
12. Not Applicable
13. This information is published via the Council’s website: Gender pay gap report – March 2024
14. The Council does not currently calculate this, therefore this information is not held
Request reference: FOI 10197
Issue date: 26.11.24
Request received:
Copies of any pre planning application enquiries made on the barn at Little Stowford or the adjacent Little Stowford House or recycling centre within the last 12 years
Response provided:
Applicant provided with some information that falls within the remit of the request, with all personal information redacted throughout in accordance with Regulation 13 of the Act
Request reference: FOI 10198
Issue date: 13.11.24
Request received:
1. Total number of desktops in estate (i e PCs, laptops and tablets)
2. Who currently supplies the above (name of the incumbent)?
3. Do they include additional services such as technical support, maintenance, asset registration, imaging and disposal of existing device?
4. Who is the preferred manufacturer?
5. What is your current buying/refresh cycle?
6. Is this supplied under contract? If yes, when does the contract end?
7. How do you procure these devices through a framework? If yes, which one used (i e SBS/CCS/NDNA)
8. What steps has the Council taken to tackle security risks in advance of 14th Oct 2025 when updates will no longer be available on Windows 10?
9. How does the Council access its applications (Citrix, VMWare, Microsoft 365, Cloud or Fat Client environment)?
10. Are you looking to move from On-Premises to Cloud?
11. Name of person responsible for purchasing IT equipment?
Response provided:
1. 60 PCS, 270 Laptops, 90 Tablets
2. Dell
3. Five year support for Laptops and Desktops
4. Dell Laptops and PCs, Apple and Samsung Tablets
5. Every four to six years for tablets or where OS support ends. PCs and Laptops five to seven years
6. No
7. Previously NHS framework
8. The Council will be moving to Windows 11 before October 2025
9. Fat client and VMWare Horizon
10. Hybrid
11. Andy Tapp
Request reference: FOI 10202
Issue date: 01.11.24
Request received:
A list of all boarding kennels alongside the council rating, registered business name and address that have been granted a license from the council to operate from the period 01.01.2022 – 28.10.2024
Response provided:
5 Stars - Coombe Kennels Ltd, 2 Coombe Cottages, Harracott, Barnstaple EX31 3JW
5 Stars - Coastal Kennels, Lakeside Paddocks, Lincombe, Lee EX34 8LL
3 Stars - Faithful Friends Kennels, Darragh Lodge, Heddon Mill, Braunton EX33 2NQ
3 Stars - Beech Tree Kennels, East Hayne Farm, Newtown, South Molton EX36 3QR
3 Stars - Trelawn Boarding Kennels, Trelawn, Bishops Nympton, EX36 3QT
3 Stars - Hairy Holidays, 4 Caffyns Cross, Barbrook, Lynton EX35 6JP
Request reference: FOI 10206
Issue date: 01.11.24
Request received:
1. A list of all civil injunctions restricting protest applied and granted to your public body since 2018. For each injunction listed, please provide:
- A copy of the court judgment
- A copy of any maps detailing the geographic where the injunction applies
If all injunctions are already in the public domain, please provide hyperlinks to where I can locate them
2. Please specify the total amount of legal costs incurred by your public body to date in regard to each injunction listed in response to Q1, including any costs passed onto the protesters named in the injunction. Please break this figure down by the name of each legal firm/lawyer to which the cost are owed
3. For each injunction listed in response to Q1, please specify the total amount contributed towards legal costs by other organisations or individuals. Please break the total figure down by the name of the organisation or individual and the amount of their contribution
4. For each injunction listed in response to Q1, please specify the total amount of legal costs that have been passed on to protesters named in the judgment. Please break this figure down by the number of protesters ordered to pay costs
5. For each injunction listed in response to Q1, please specify the total amount of money in legal costs that has been recouped from protesters named in the judgment. Please break this figure down by the total number of protesters from which your organisation has recouped its costs
6. For each injunction listed in response to Q1, please specify how many individuals have been arrested for a suspected breach of the injunction
7. For each injunction listed in response to Q1, please specify how many individuals have been found to have breached the injunction and the penalty that was imposed on each individual. Please include both fines issued as well as sentences/suspended sentences handed down
Response provided:
The Council confirmed to the applicant that no civil injunctions restricting protests have been applied and granted to the authority since 2018 to the date of its response sent 1 November 2024
Request reference: FOI 10207
Issue date: 13.11.24
Request received:
The following with regard to the premises 2-3 Fore Street, Ilfracombe, EX34 9ED
1. The name of the individual or legal entity liable to pay non-domestic rates in respect of the Site for the period 30/09/2020 - 21/02/2024
2. If more than one individual/entity was liable to pay non-domestic rates in respect of this Site during the above period, the applicant requested:
2.1. The name of each individual/entity;
2.2. The period in respect of which that individual/entity was liable for the payment of non-domestic rates
Should the ratepayer be an individual, the applicant advised the Council that as this information is sought under Schedule 2 Part 1 Para 5 (3) (a) of the Data Protection Act 2018
Response provided:
The applicant was informed that the ratepayer identified for the requested period was an individual and therefore exempt from disclosure in accordance with Section 40 of the Act. Instead, the request was passed to the Council Data Protection team to consider and respond under a Data Exemption Request
Request reference: FOI 10210
Issue date: 05.11.24
Request received:
For the past two years up to date:
1. Religious events
Total costs for the following events, in terms of money given by the council to support festivities: for example, funding firework displays or street decorations
- Christmas
- New Year
- Easter
- Eid, taken altogether
- Halloween
- Diwali
- All Jewish holidays
The applicant requested that this be broken down by event, by year, and the specific service paid for: for example, a fireworks display.
2. National events
Total costs for the following events, in terms of money given by the council to support festivities: for example, funding firework displays, street decorations, flags, bunting, community events
For all events that may be considered a national day. For example, the independence days of nations whose diaspora may live in the council area: Nigeria for example, or Pakistan Defence Day
The applicant requested that this be broken down by event, by year, and the specific service paid for: for example, a fireworks display.
Response provided:
- The Council contributes £5k annually to Barnstaple Town Centre Management (BTCM) as a contribution towards the Christmas lights within Barnstaple Town
The Council has not contributed any monies to the other holidays as listed within the request over the last two years to date
- The Council has not contributed any monies to events considered a national day over the last two years to date
Request reference: FOI 10211
Issue date: 20.11.24
Request received:
The following for each financial year from 2019/20 to 2023/24:
1. The number of trees planted by the council, its contractors and/or other organisations funded by the council
2. The number of trees removed by those listed above
3. The number of trees removed after Tree Preservation Orders for those trees were lifted
3. The number of trees removed after Tree Preservation Orders for those trees were lifted that were the subject of subsidence claims
Response provided:
1 and 2. 2019/20: planted = 38, removed = 49
2020/21: planted = 128, removed = 39
2021/22: planted = 423, removed = 16
2022/23: planted = 18,311, removed = 37
2023/24: planted = 5,545, removed = 25
3. This information is not recorded by the Council
4. No trees have been removed due to subsidence during the requested period
Request reference: FOI 10212
Issue date: 13.11.24
Request received:
The following information regarding housing demand on the Council’s waiting list as of 1 November 2024:
1. The number of applicants on the council housing waiting list by property type:
- Accessible property
- 1-bed property
- 2-bed property
- 3-bed property
- 4-bed property
- 5 plus bed property
2. The average waiting time for each property type listed below:
- Accessible property
- 1-bed property
- 2-bed property
- 3-bed property
- 4-bed property
- 5 plus bed property
If possible, please provide additional insights or typical ranges for waiting times based on priority needs or location preferences
If this information is unavailable in full, kindly provide partial or approximate data along with any relevant explanations for the limitations
Response provided:
1. Active Applicants on North Devon register by Bedroom and Accessibility as at 05.11.2024:
| 1 Bed | 2 Bed | 3 Bed | 4 Bed | 5 Bed | 6 Bed | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Needs | 741 | 493 | 298 | 97 | 22 | 3 | 1654 |
| Maximum of 3 Steps | 214 | 59 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 307 | |
| Step Free | 123 | 47 | 22 | 9 | 1 | 202 | |
| Wheelchair Accessible | 7 | 8 | 3 | 18 | |||
| Total | 1085 | 607 | 347 | 114 | 25 | 3 | 2181 |
2. North Devon Average waiting time by Accessibility, Bedroom and Band in days (based on North Devon lets from 01.10.2023 to 05.11.2024)
| Band A | Band B | Band C | Band D | Band E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Wheelchair Accessible | 587 | ||||
| 2 bed | 587 | ||||
| 3-Step Free | 354 | 479 | 521 | 563 | 487 |
| 1 bed | 354 | 370 | 244 | 563 | 487 |
| 2 bed | 693 | 616 | |||
| 3 bed | 818 | 1426 | |||
| 4-Max 3 Steps | 84 | 552 | 521 | 467 | 760 |
| 1 bed | 84 | 556 | 630 | ||
| 2 bed | 542 | 305 | 467 | 760 | |
| 5-General Needs | 420 | 538 | 720 | 608 | |
| 1 bed | 539 | 366 | 620 | ||
| 2 bed | 518 | 733 | 576 | ||
| 3 bed | 352 | 489 | 917 | ||
| 4 bed | 522 | 1101 |
Note Accessibility Categories from Devon Home Choice Policy:
Request reference: FOI 10213
Issue date: 04.11.24
Request received:
Council spending on disrepair claims and tenant services from 1st November 2023 to 1st November 2024:
1. Total expenditure by the council on legal disrepair claims during this period
2. The total compensation paid directly to tenants living in disrepair
3. A monthly breakdown of tenant boiler breakdown reports and repairs for:
- November 2023
- December 2023
- January 2024
- February 2024
4. The average wait time for addressing a boiler breakdown from the time of the initial report to full resolution during each of these months
If you categorise boiler issues or disrepair claims differently within your data, please include definitions or clarifications to help interpret these figures
Response provided:
The Council confirmed that it does not hold any of this information. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council confirmed that it no longer holds its own Council-owned/social housing stock; this was transferred to North Devon Homes Ltd on 21.02.2000 therefore it no longer holds this information
Request reference: EIR 10214
Issue date: 19.11.24
Request received:
CON29 information relating to a property at EX33 1EY
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information
Request reference: FOI 10215
Issue date: 05.11.24
Request received:
In an Excel spreadsheets the details of motor vehicles registered for public hire (Taxi/Private Hire/Hackney Carriage) that were either issued a new or renewal licence in the period 29/07/2024 - 29/10/2024; specifically:
• Vehicle Registration Number
• Manufacturer (Make)
• Model
• Licence Issue Date
• Licence Expiry Date
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the requested information within an Excel spreadsheet, which is available upon request
Request reference: FOI 10216
Issue date: 05.11.24
Request received:
The latest reports for North Devon which identifies empty homes, where they are and actions being taken to bring them back into occupancy
Response provided:
The Council confirmed to the applicant that it does hold information that would identify empty properties within North Devon. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council is however unable to supply this information
The Council considers that this information is exempt from disclosure in accordance with Section 31(1)(a) of the Act, as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime. The Council accepts that the perceived prejudice must be "real, actual or of substance" and not trivial or insignificant and that there must be some causal relationship between the potential disclosure and the stated prejudice. In this case, the decision is that such prejudice does exist. A decision of the Information Tribunal Mr Yiannis Voyias v IC 22 January 2013 is relevant to this
If the Council were to release the requested information, it consider that those empty properties would likely become more vulnerable to crime. The crimes associated with empty properties include squatting, criminal damage, theft including organised 'fixture stripping' of premises (particularly to remove metal), arson, drug dealing, prostitution and fraud
In addition, section 43(2) of FOIA states: “Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person.” Disclosing information which revealed which dwellings were empty would, by increasing the risk of crime connected with those dwellings, risk damage to the commercial interests of the property owner, and also of the tenants and owners of neighbouring properties.
Any incidence of crime will have potentially serious cost implications for the empty property owners and also those who live in the vicinity, including increased insurance premiums. Furthermore, crime can cause an emotional impact both on those who are direct victims, and on those who feel less secure due to an increase in the crime rate near where they live or work or go to school
The Council’s Revenues team responsible for the administration of Council Tax and Business Rates confirm that the details they hold regarding empty properties are held for the purposes of the collection tax and its associated administration. They may only lawfully disclose information to other public sector agencies to:
- prevent or detect benefit fraud and other crime
- to support national fraud initiatives
- to protect public funds
They may only use basic information about ratepayers of empty properties in other areas of service provision if it:
- helps those ratepayers to access Council services more easily
- promotes the more efficient and cost-effective delivery of services
- helps the Council to recover monies that ratepayers owe to it
The Council does not consider that the release of the requested information to you would fall into any of the above categories and those ratepayers would have no reasonable expectation for their information to be made publicly available, as a release of the information to a requester would be considered as a release to the world at large. Not every person has a genuine reasons for requesting such information and it would not take long before the information fell into the hands of persons who intend to find those empty properties to squat, cause criminal damage, steal fixtures and fittings, damage, deal drugs etc. furthermore, the Council does not have any provision under the Act to verify the identity of applicants to ensure they are genuine and not submitting a request under an alias
For these reasons, the Council considers that there is an inherent public interest in crime prevention and therefore the possibility of crime resulting from disclosure is sufficient for the Council to favour the withholding of the requested information
Applicant referred to the Council’s website for details about its Empty Homes Project and in particular, the free matchmaker scheme which connects owners of empty properties with potential buyers, investors or developers. No owner details (where held) are disclosed without their consent
Request reference: FOI 10218
Issue date: 21.11.24
Request received:
The number of reported fly-tipping incidents in the past 12 months (12 months leading up to the most recent date for which data is available), and the number of fly-tipping incidents reported in the previous 12 months before that
Response provided:
1 October 2023 - 30 September 2024 = 546 reported incidents
1 October 2022 - 30 September 2023 = 571 reported incidents
Request reference: FOI 10219
Issue date: 06.11.24
Request received:
1) The council’s total expenditure on Christmas decorations and events for every year from 2016 – 2023
2) How much the council budgeted for Christmas decorations and events for every year from 2016 – 2023?
3) How much the council budgeted for Christmas decorations and events for 2024?
4) The councils 2024 Christmas budget, broken down by category (Lights, Trees, events)
Response provided:
The Council confirmed that it does hold some of this information. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council advised the applicant that it contributes £5,000 annually to Barnstaple Town Centre Management (BTCM) towards Christmas lights within Barnstaple town and has done so each year since before 2016 and will do so again for 2024.
The Council does not have any further involvement after making this contribution as it is managed by BTCM
Request reference: FOI 10222
Issue date: 08.11.24
Request received:
All locations, if possible longitude and latitude, of every ANPR, Traffic camera, Speed camera and/or any other CCTV camera
Response provided:
The Council confirmed that it does hold some of this information. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council provided the locations of its CCTV cameras with their longitude and latitude in CSV format
Applicant advised to contact Devon County Council for locations of ANPR, Traffic and Speed cameras within North Devon
Request reference: FOI 10224
Issue date: 18.11.24
Request received:
Information regarding squatter evictions conducted by North Devon Council:
1. The total number of squatters evicted within the council’s jurisdiction from January 1, 2024, to the present date
2. If possible, a breakdown of these evictions by month and by the type of property (e g, residential, commercial, or public properties)
3. Any available data on the average time taken to resolve each squatting incident (from the report of squatting to the eviction)
Response provided:
1. Zero
2. Not Applicable
3. Not Applicable
Request reference: FOI 10225
Issue date: 21.11.24
Request received:
The following information in relation to the private rented sector:
1. Do you have an enforcement policy that refers to the Housing Act 2004? If yes, please provide an electronic copy
2. Do you have a document that details your approach to dealing with crowding and space within the private rented sector? If yes, please provide an electronic copy
3. For the following financial years please tell me how many ‘cases’ were received by your authority which included a family living in a private rented property who were, or suspected as being, overcrowded:
A: 2021/22
B: 2022/23
C: 2023/24
4. Of the cases identified in question 3, how many cases had a property inspection carried out by an officer from your council?
A: 2021/22
B: 2022/23
C: 2023/24
5. Of the cases identified in question 3, how many had an HHSRS assessment completed for:
5.1 Room size for crowding and space?
A: 2021/22
B: 2022/23
C: 2023/24
5.2 Actual occupation for crowding and space?
A: 2021/22
B: 2022/23
C: 2023/24
6. For each assessment identified in question 5, what was the hazard band for crowding and space?
6.1 Room size for crowding and space?
A: 2021/22
B: 2022/23
C: 2023/24
6.2 Actual occupation for crowding and space?
A: 2021/22
B: 2022/23
C: 2023/24
7. Please identify how many notices of what type were served under the Housing Act 2004:
7.1 Room size for crowding and space?
A: 2021/22
B: 2022/23
C: 2023/24
7.2 Actual occupation for crowding and space?
A: 2021/22
B: 2022/23
C: 2023/24
8. Please provide details for an officer that can be approached to further discuss the decision-making process involved in dealing with the cases described above (this is likely to be an environmental health officer, private sector housing inspecting officer or similar)
Response provided:
- Yes, please refer to the attached policy. A Private Sector Housing Enforcement Guidance document is currently being drafted
- No
- 2021/22 = Six, 2022/23 = One, 2023/24 = Zero
- 2021/22 = Four, 2022/23 = One, 2023/24 = Zero
- As follows:
- 2021/22 = Three, 2022/23 = One, 2023/24 = Zero
- A: 2021/22
Couple plus 3 year old plus pregnant = 2 bed
Single parent plus 2 children = 2 bed
Single parent plus 3 children = 2 bed
Single parent plus 2 children = 2 bed
Single parent plus 4 children = 3 bed
Single parent plus 1 child = 2 bed
B: 2022/23
Single parent plus 17 year old = bedsit
C: 2023/24 = N/A
6.1 A: 2021/22 = (1) Band F (2) no band recorded (3) no band recorded
B: 2022/23 = Band A
C: 2023/24 = N/A
6.2 A: 2021/22 = As above
B: 2022/23 = As above
C: 2023/24 = N/A
7 A: 2021/22 – Seven notices (four Improvement, two Prohibition, one Emergency Remedial)
B: 2022/23 – Six notices (three Improvement, two Prohibition, one Emergency Prohibition relating to overcrowding)
C: 2023/24 – Two notices (one Improvement, one Prohibition)
7.2 A: 2021/22 = N/A
B: 2022/23 = Single parent plus 17 year old = bedsit
C: 2023/24 = N/A
8. Richard Squire, EHO, 01271 38825
Request reference: FOI 10226
Issue date: 12.11.24
Request received:
The applicant requested information about the vegetation data shown on the Council’s online planning portal, specifically the green areas marked with repeated symbols:
1. The data source(s) used for mapping these vegetation areas
2. How frequently this vegetation data is updated
3. The verification process used to confirm vegetation types
4. The significance of the boundaries of these areas - specifically, whether they:
Represent physical boundaries (such as fencing or walls)
Simply indicate changes in vegetation type
Follow property/land ownership boundaries
Or have another significance
5. The process for reporting any inaccuracies in the mapping, should they be identified
This information would be valuable for understanding the reliability and interpretation of these mapped features for planning purposes
Response provided:
Applicant informed that North Devon Council does not capture that data. This is base data included on Ordnance Survey mapping which the Council receives as part of PSGA (Public Sector Geospatial Agreement). Specifically, vegetation data is part of their Mastermap product more details of which can be found here:
https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/products/os-mastermap-topography-layer
The Ordnance Survey may be able to answer any further queries.
https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/contact-us
Request reference: FOI 10227
Issue date: 11.11.24
Request received:
This is an information request relating to job titles that include ‘wellbeing’
Please include the following information for the following financial years, 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25:
- Total Number of staff that have ‘wellbeing’ in their job title
- Please include a breakdown of each role with ‘wellbeing’ in the job title:
Full job title name
Job description
Salary range or grade
Response provided:
The applicant was advised that No staff employed by North Devon Council have ‘wellbeing’ in their job title
Request reference: FOI 10228
Issue date: 26.11.24
Request received:
CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 8LW
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information
Request reference: FOI 10230
Issue date: 20.11.24
Request received:
Information related to the organisation's contracts register, procurement strategy document, and contact details. Please find the detailed requests below:
1. Contract Register Request:
I am seeking the full and entirety of the organisation's contract register or database. The register should include the following columns/headings or something similar:
Contract Title: The title of the contract, e g "IT Services Contract"
Supplier Name: The name of the organisation providing the goods or services
Estimated Spend (Total or Annual): Whether the estimated spend is for the entire contract period or annually
Contract Duration: The initial term of the contract in months
Total Contract Period: The total duration of the contract, including any potential extensions
Contract Extensions: The number of months for any potential extensions
Contract Start Date: The date the contract officially begins
Contract Expiry Date: The date the initial contract period ends
Contract Review Date: The date on which the contract should be reviewed for renewal or extension
Contract Description: A detailed description of the contract, this could include the purpose, scope, and key terms and conditions
Contact Owner: The name, job title, main contact number, and email address of the individual responsible for the contract
Contract Notes: Any additional relevant information, such as specific terms and conditions, risk assessments, or performance metrics
Department: The department within your organisation that the contract is associated with
Contract Award Date: The date the contract was awarded
Participating Organisations: Other organisations involved in the procurement process
Procurement Category: The category of the procurement, e g IT, Facilities, or Professional Services
Framework Reference: The reference number of procurement framework
Central Purchasing Body: The organisation responsible for the overall procurement
·Tender Reference: The reference number of the tender notice
CPV Codes/Pro-Class/eClass: Standard classification codes used to categorise public procurement. On select they should be able to select the classes
If any of the headings within your contract register has not been provided, please state this within your response
Please provide the contract's register file in Excel format
2. Procurement Strategy Document Request:
Can the organisation provide a full version of their Procurement Strategy for the fiscal year 2024-2025?
If the Procurement Strategy is a strategic direction (2022-2025) instead of an annual plan, please provide an update document for 2023-2024. If an update cannot be provided, please provide information on when an update is planned to be published
We require the full document. If any parts of this document have been removed, please state this within your response
3. Contact Details Request:
Provide contact details of the person responsible for API or data sharing, including (Name, Job Title, Telephone, Email Address)
Provide contact details of the person responsible for the actual contract's register, including (Name, Job Title, Telephone, Email Address)
Response provided:
1. The Council’s Contract Register (for all contracts valued at £10K and over) can be downloaded into Excel by clicking on the Export button at the bottom of the linked page
Contracts under £10K are not required to be published via the Contract Register; therefore please refer to the Council’s Expenditure Open Data NDC website Expenditure open data for spend over £250
2. The Council’s Procurement Strategy for 2023 – 2027 is published via the Councils website. This is not updated on an annual basis, it is next due for review alongside Devon County Council from June 2027, unless there is a legal requirement to do so pursuant to a change in law or otherwise
3. Applicant referred to the following page on the Council’s website where this information is published: the Doing Business with North Devon which publishes the Procurement team’s contact information
Request reference: FOI 10232
Issue date: 12.11.24
Request received:
All properties within your Billing Authority area where there is either a credit held on the account or there was previously a credit which has now been written on:
• Primary Liable Party Name (Business Name)
• Full Property Address and Postcode
• Billing Authority Reference Number (Assessment Number)
• Current Rateable Value
• Credit amount
• Date Credit Applies to
Response provided:
The Council has made the decision to no longer publish or provide the details of individual business rates credits. Following careful consideration of the ICO decision for Wandsworth Council (FS50619844) and discussions with the Council’s Revenues team which holds this data, the Council considers that the continued publication of this data would be likely to prejudice the prevention and detection of crime and therefore the Council considers that this data is now exempt from disclosure under Section 31(1)(a)
When applying this exemption, the Council is required to carry out a Public Interest Test which considers the factors that favour disclosure and the withholding of the data:
Factors in favour of disclosure
- Withholding the information could be perceived as the council attempting to retain monies that belong to the public
- It is in the public interest to be open and transparent about its use of public funds
- It is also in the public interest to be transparent regarding the records held in respect of the administration of business rates. This could be of interest to the minority of people who are due a refund, but have somehow failed to receive the notifications that money is owed to them
Factors in favour of withholding
- There is a public interest in ensuring that monies from the public purse, such as rebates on business accounts, are not fraudulently claimed and also a public interest in not making it easier for fraud to be committed
- The Council’ current verification procedure for refund claims is simple and cost effective however the Council cannot be certain as to whether some claimants are who they really say they are for every refund processed. If the Council were to continue to publish this data then this would ultimately result in additional verification processes needing to be implemented by the Revenues team at additional cost to the public, which would be disproportionate to the benefits that would accrue from disclosure. The additional verification procedures would also be likely to slow the verification process, resulting in detriment to the genuine ratepayer in that it would take longer for their credit to be refunded to them
- In relation to any new verification processes that might be needed, these would be likely to require the production of additional documents by those claiming a rebate which would place a new administrative burden on the majority of those legitimate claimants that did not currently exist. This would be compounded by the fact that the level of scrutiny of those documents would be higher than at present, given the increased suspicion that some of the claims (and associated documents) might well be fraudulent. The result would be that a new verification process would be likely to slow the rate at which credit balance claims could be considered and refunded, causing delay in all refunds and the likelihood of complaints, which would further burden the Council’s limited resources
- Disclosure of the requested information would result in the need to implement disproportionate steps and additional expense to the Council to counter an increased fraud risk
The cost consequences of a successful fraudulent claim would:
- have incurred the cost of paying out to the fraudster
- remain liable to the legitimate rate payer for an equivalent amount, raising the prospect of paying out twice; and
- be faced with the cost (legal and incurrence of internal management time) of seeking to recover the funds wrongly paid to the fraudster
It would not be in the public interest to expose it to such potential costs and expenses, given that they would be funded from the public purse
It is considered that the greater public interest, therefore, lies in no longer publishing the data. In coming to that conclusion, the public interest in providing the information has been carefully weighed against any prejudice to the public interest that might arise from withholding the information; in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information
The Council has published a dataset that provides:
- the total amount of credit refunded
- the number of refunds
- the total amount of outstanding credit
- the number of outstanding refunds
This dataset was updated in October 2024, together with the other business rates datasets currently published
Request reference: EIR 10233
Issue date: 27.11.24
Request received:
CON29 information relating to a property at EX34 7AQ
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information
Request reference: EIR 10234
Issue date: 27.11.24
Request received:
CON29 information relating to a property at EX36 3HP
Response provided:
Applicant provided with the information, where held and also directed to the Council’s website for some of the information
Request reference: FOI 10235
Issue date: 26.11.24
Request received:
For each of the six points listed below please provide breakdown by year – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. For 2024, please provide figures to date:
1) The number of complaints the Council received relating to conditions of properties in the Private Rented Sector
2) The number of each of the following notices that were issued by the Council in relation to private rented homes:
a) an Improvement Notice
b) an Emergency Remedial Action Notice
c) a Prohibition Order
3) The number of prosecutions brought by the Council in relation to conditions in private rented properties
4) The number of (a) Notices of Intent and (b) Final Notices for civil penalties issued by the Council relating to housing matters
5) The overall number of individual landlords point 2, 3 and 4 were issued to
6) The number of housing enforcement officers employed by the council
7) The number of complaints relating to conditions of properties in the social housing rented sector, breaking down the complaints for Housing Associations and the local authority
Response provided:
<
1. As follows:
2017 = 145
2018 = 163
2019 = 143
2020 = 164
2021 = 158
2022 = 161
2023 = 109
2024 (to date) = 95
2.
a) an Improvement Notice
2017 = 16
2018 = 18
2019 = 10
2020 = 3
2021 = 8
2022 = 4
2023 = 5
2024 (to date) = 1
b) an Emergency Remedial Action Notice
2017 = 1
2018 = 2
2019 = 2
2020 = 0
2021 = 1
2022 = 0
2023 = 0
2024 (to date) = 0
c) a Prohibition Order
2017 = 1
2018 = 2
2019 = 2
2020 = 3
2021 = 2
2022 = 2
2023 = 0
2024 (to date) = 2
- As follows:
2017 = 1
2018 = 2
2019 = 0
2020 = 0
2021 = 2
2022 = 0
2023 = 0
2024 (to date) = 0
- As follows:
2017 = 0
2018 = 0
2019 = 0
2020 = 0
2021 = 2
2022 = 0
2023 = 0
2024 (to date) = 0
- The council’s data management system is unable to report by individual landlords (property based)
6. The Council’s Private Sector Housing Team are within the wider Environmental Health and Housing Service. Our Private Sector Team consists of:
• Service Lead Private Sector Housing
• Senior Environmental Health Officer
• Environmental Health Practitioner
• Private Sector Housing Officer
• Private Sector Housing Officer (Empty Homes)
• Private Sector Housing Officer (Energy Efficiency)
Within the wider Environmental Health team there are seven Regulatory Compliance Officers; currently with two vacancies. Their role includes Private Sector Housing (PSH) complaints, Houses in multiple occupation (HMO) inspections, Housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS) and enforcement action
7. Data is not held for years prior to 2024. Data for 2024:
Housing Association = 23
Private rented = 71
Other = 1
Request reference: FOI 10237
Issue date: 21.11.24
Request received:
1. In relation to the above legislation, please confirm how many and name the Property/Letting Agents the Council have prosecuted and/or fined from 01 April 2019 to date, for failing to be a member of an approved CMP scheme?
2. In each of the above case(s) if any, please confirm the amount of the monetary penalty imposed by the local authority?
3. In each of the above case(s) if any, please confirm if the initial monetary penalty imposed by the local authority was upheld or reduced by the First Tier Tribunal?
Response provided:
1. None
2. N/A
3. N/A
Request reference: FOI 10238
Issue date: 18.11.24
Request received:
1. How many liability orders has the council sought over council tax arrears between 31 March 2023 and 31 October 2024?
2. How many of these liability orders has resulted in bailiffs being sent to collect the debt?
Response provided:
1. 2023/24:
Council Tax = 2,989
NDR = 262
2024/25 to 31.10.24:
Council Tax = 2,051
NDR = 192
2. This figure is not recorded separately or in a way where it can be easily reported on from the Revenues system; therefore the only way in which this could be identified would require a manual search of all orders as identified in order to calculate the number that resulted in bailiffs being instructed
Section 12 of the Act makes provision for public authorities to refuse requests for information where the cost of dealing with them would exceed the appropriate limit, which for Local Authorities is set at £450 by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 18 hours at £25 per hour in determining whether the Council holds the information, locating, retrieving and collating the information
The Revenues team advised that it would far exceed the 18 hour limit. The procedure would cause serious disruption to the day to day working of the Revenues team and therefore we are unable to process this part of the request any further. As set out in the previous paragraph, the Council has the right to refuse to provide the information in accordance with Section 12 of the Act
In accordance with Section 16 of the Act, the Revenues team are however, able to provide you with the following which indicate all the Liability Orders sent during the relevant period, but would also include those orders granted during other periods
2023/24
Council Tax = 2,643
NDR = 212
2024/25 to 31.10.24:
Council Tax = 1,591
NDR = 135
Request reference: FOI 10239
Issue date: 15.11.24
Request received:
This is a request for information that relates to the organisation’s contracts around ICT contract(s) for Server Hardware Maintenance, Server Virtualisation Licenses and Maintenance and Storage Area Network (SAN) Maintenance/Support, which may include:
• Server Hardware Maintenance- contracts relating to the support and maintenance of the organisation’s physical servers
• Virtualisation Maintenance/Support/ Licensing (VMware, Solaris, Unix, Linux, Windows Server)
• Storage Area Network Maintenance/Support (EMC, NetApp etc)
For each of the types of contract described above, please can you provide me with the following data. If there is more than one contract please split the information for each separate supplier this includes annual spend
1. Contract Title: Please provide me with the contract title
2. Type of Contracts (ABOVE): Please can you provide me with one or more contract types the contract relates to: Server Hardware, Virtualisation, SAN (Storage Area Network)
3. Existing/Current Supplier: Please provide me with the supplier name for each contract
4. Brand: Please state the brand of hardware or software
5. Operating System / Software (Platform): (Windows, Linux, Unix, Vsphere, AIX, Solaris etc.) Please state the operating system used by the organisation
6. Annual Average Spend: Please provide me with the most recent annual spend for this contract?
7. Contract Duration: (Please can you also include notes if the contract includes any contract Extension periods.)
8. Contract Expiry Date: Please can you provide me with the date of when the contract expires
9. Contract Review Date: (An approximate date of when the organisation is planning to review this particular contract.)
10. Purchase of Servers: Could you please provide me with the month and year in which most/bulk of servers were purchased
11. Number of Physical Server: Please can you provide me with the number of physical servers
12. Number of Virtual Servers: Please can you provide me with the number of Virtual servers
13. Brief Contract Description: I require a brief description of the service provided under this contract. Please do not just put maintenance. I need at least a sentence
14. Contract Owner: (The person from within the organisation that is responsible for reviewing and renewing this particular contract. Please include their full name, job title, direct contact number and direct email address.)
Response provided:
Contract – Virtual Server Licences
Type – Virtual Server Licences and support
Supplier – Iomart
Brand – VMware
O/S – various
Annual spend - £13,948.80
Contract duration – 3 years
Contract expiry date – 4th November 2027
Purchase of servers – N/A
Number of physical servers – N/A
Number of virtual servers – approx. 80
Description – Virtual server licences and support
Contract Owner – ictservicedesk@northdevon.gov.uk
Contract – Main Virtual Environment Servers
Type – Purchase of main virtual environment servers plus 5 years warranty
Supplier – Phoenix Software Ltd
Brand – Dell
O/S – Windows
Total spend - £46,000 (annual spend not applicable – includes purchase cost)
Contract duration – 5 years
Contract expiry date – Nov 2027
Purchase of servers – Nov 2022
Number of physical servers – 4
Number of virtual servers – approx. 80
Description – Virtual server licences and support
Contract Owner – ictservicedesk@northdevon.gov.uk
Contract – SAN purchase
Type – Purchase SAN plus 5 years warranty
Supplier – Phoenix Software Ltd
Brand – Dell
O/S – Windows
Total spend - £63,000 (annual spend not applicable, includes purchase cost)
Contract duration – 5 years
Contract expiry date – Nov 2027
Purchase of servers – N/A
Number of physical servers – N/A
Number of virtual servers – approx. 80
Description – Virtual server licences and support
Contract Owner – ictservicedesk@northdevon.gov.uk
Contract – SAN purchase
Type - Purchase SAN plus 5 years warranty
Supplier – Phoenix Software Ltd
Brand – Dell
O/S – Windows
Total spend – £58,339.18
Contract duration – 5 years
Contract expiry date – Aug 2028
Purchase of servers – N/A
Number of virtual servers – this will vary
Description – DR SAN
Contract Owner – ictservicedesk@northdevon.gov.uk
Contract – Server purchase
Type – Servers and 5 year warranty
Supplier – Phoenix Software Ltd
Brand – Dell
O/S – Windows
Total spend - £15,994.12
Contract duration – 5 Years
Contract expiry date – Aug 2028
Purchase of servers – Aug 2023
Number of Physical servers – 2
Description – Servers to run DR virtual environment
Contract owner – ictservicedesk@northdevon.gov.uk
Request reference: FOI 10240
Issue date: 21.11.24
Request received:
The number of missed bin collections in 2023 and 2024 (to date)
The number of domestic recycling bins used this year (2024) to date
Response provided:
Missed collection complaints:
2023: Black bin/bags waste (unrecyclable) = 20
Green bin/Garden waste = 17
Recycling (card, paper, glass, plastic, metal) = 151*
*There was a major round remodelling in the summer that did not go as planned which led to an extremely high level of missed collections
2024 to date: Black bin/bags waste (unrecyclable) = 18
Green bin/Garden waste = 11
Recycling (card, paper, glass, plastic, metal) = 47
The number of domestic recycling bins used this year to date:
The Council’s Waste and Recycling team are unsure what you mean by used, however they advise that they have approximately 47,000 properties which they provide a collection service too, however there are approximately 5,000 of these properties which receive a black bag collection and do not present wheelie bins. Furthermore, they confirm that they do not keep records/figures on how many are presented for collection each day
Request reference: FOI 10241
Issue date: 28.11.24
Request received:
The following data for the time periods outlines below:
- Total number of vehicle-related noise complaints (including complaints about noise from cars, vans, and motorbikes).
- Number of complaints regarding vehicle alarms.
- Number of noise abatement notices issued related to vehicle noise
- Fines or penalties issued for vehicle noise violations
1st October 2023 > 30th October 2024 (last full 12-month period)
1st January 2024 > 30th October 2024 (current year to date)
1st January 2023 > 31st Dec 2023
1st January 2022 > 31st Dec 2022
Response provided:
|
01/10/23-30/10/24 |
01/01/24-30/10/24 |
01/01/23-31/12/23 |
01/01/22-31/12/22 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number of vehicle related noise complaints |
16 |
16 |
21 |
19 |
| Number of complaints regarding vehicle alarms |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Number of noise abatement notices issued related to vehicle noise |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Fines or penalties issued for vehicle noise violations |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Request reference: FOI 10243
Issue date: 18.11.24
Request received:
1. The number of Portuguese people in the authority area, categorised by:
• Nationality
• Country of birth
• Language spoken (if available)
• Descent (if available)
2. Educational attainment rates for Portuguese people in your authority area, if such data is collected and available
3. Details of any councillors of Portuguese nationality, country of birth, or descent who are currently serving or have served in your authority in the past five years
Response provided:
With regards to 1 and 2, the applicant was directed to both Devon County Council (as they are responsible for Health and Social Care as well as Education) which covers North Devon and the Office of National Statistics for any data they may hold
3. The Council’s Electoral Services and Member Services teams both confirm that they do not record this information
Request reference: FOI 10244
Issue date: 18.11.24
Request received:
1. The number of candidates of Polish or Polish descent who have stood for election within your local authority area in the last five years
2. The number of councillors of Polish or Polish descent currently serving in your local authority
3. The number of councillors of Polish or Polish descent who have served in your local authority in the past five years
Response provided:
The Council’s Electoral Services and Member Services teams both confirm that they do not record this information
Request reference: FOI 10147
Issue date: 26.11.24
Request received:
1. The number of veterans that were on a social housing waiting list in your local authority, in each month since the start of the financial year 2018/19
2. The average length of time spent by a veteran on a social housing waiting list in your local authority, since the start of the financial year 2018/19
3. The longest time a veteran has spent on a social housing waiting list in your local authority since the start of the financial year 2018/19
4. The number of complaints made by veterans in social housing about their social housing provision to your local authority, in each month since the start of the financial year 2018/19
5. The number of veterans that contacted your local authority asking for financial support of any kind in each month since the start of the financial year 2018/19
Response provided:
The Council confirmed that it does hold some of this information. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council’s Housing team provides the following response from Devon Home Choice:
- The Council does not monitor this specifically and is only able to provide live data on an ad hoc basis. As at 22 November 2024, 80 veterans were on the social housing waiting list in the North Devon area
- The Council does not monitor this specifically and is only able to provide live data on an ad hoc basis. As at 22 November 2024, the average length of time a veteran spent on the social housing waiting list in North Devon was 514 days
- The Council does not monitor this specifically and is only able to provide live data on an ad hoc basis. As at 22 November 2024, 3,138 days was the longest time a veteran spent on the social housing waiting list in North Devon since the start of the 2018/19 financial year
- The Council is unable to answer as it is not a social housing landlord and so would not have data of tenants who are veterans. Please contact North Devon Homes Ltd for this information
- The Council’s Housing Advice team, Housing Benefit/Council Tax Relief team and Customer Service team (that administers the Household Fund) all confirm that they do not record whether any veterans have sought financial support for the requested period
Request reference: FOI 10148
Issue date: 18.11.24
Request received:
1. How much housing benefit was paid by your council for properties owned by the Duchy of Cornwall for each of the last five financial years?
These are properties currently owned by His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall Rothesay and Cambridge Earl of Carrick and Strathearn Baron of Renfrew Baron Carrickfergus Lord of the Isles Prince and Great Steward of Scotland with a correspondence address of 10 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LA
They were owned in previous years by His Royal Highness Charles Philip Arthur George Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay, Earl of Chester and Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of The Isles and Great Steward of Scotland. They are managed by the Duchy of Cornwall through a variety of regional offices
2. How many properties the payment total for each year relates to?
3. If it is possible, could you give me the postcode, or part of the postcode, for the properties?
Response provided:
The Council’s Benefits team confirms that they do not have the Duchy of Cornwall as a landlord on their system; ownership of a property is not held for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Relief
Request reference: FOI 10249
Issue date: 21.11.24
Request received:
The applicant requested details of your council's enforcement of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations. Please provide the following data for the time period of 2018 to present:
1. The number of enforcement notices issued to landlords
2. The number and total value of penalty fines issued to landlords
3. The number of enforcement notices issued to the Duchy of Cornwall
4. The number and total value of penalty fines issued to the Duchy of Cornwall
Response provided:
The Council advised that at present, it does not have a policy to enforce these regulations due to insufficient resources
EPC’s that do not meet the required standard maybe be considered if enforcement action is to be taken under terms of the Housing Act 2004
Therefore, in response to the request for the time period 2018 to present:
1. Zero
2. Zero/£Nil
3. N/A
4. N/A
Request reference: FOI 10250
Issue date: 20.11.24
Request received:
The details of public land sold or relinquished by the authority from 1 January 2020 to date, including:
a) the locate of the land
b) the size of the land sold
c) the reason for the sale (if known)
Response provided:
the Council confirmed that it publishes a dataset that provides the requested information which is updated annually. It will due for updating during October 2025: Council Assets/Freehold Disposals and Acquisitions published 26.10.24
Request reference: FOI 10253
Issue date: 28.11.24
Request received:
Information relating to notices under regulation 18 of the Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016 (as amended) ("Regulation 18 Notices") for risks associated with nitrate pollution in private water sources
1. In relation to Regulation 18 Notices which relate to risks associated with the hazard "nitrate" (nitrate levels being detected above 50mg/l):
(a) What is the total number of Regulation 18 Notices that you have issued to owners of private water sources due to nitrate pollution in each of the last five years?
(b) For each notice identified at 1(a), please provide the following:
(i) What was the concentration level of nitrate (in mg/l) that was detected which led to the issuance of each notice?
(ii) Which (if any) of these notices resulted in the public authority taking enforcement action via fine or imprisonment. What is the total amount ordered by fine?
(iii) Which notices (if any) required the recipient to prepare a mitigation report from a "suitably and properly qualified competent person, whose competency has been agreed by the Council"?
(iv) A copy of each notice
2. Failed nitrate tests:
(a) Confirm the number of failed nitrate tests which were conducted in your jurisdiction in each of the last five years
(b) For each failed nitrate test identified at 2(a), confirm:
(i) The identity/location of the private water source which failed the test
(ii) How many consumers were impacted by each failed test
(iii) How you identified the consumers identified at 2(b)(ii)
Response provided:
1. a) Nil
b) Not Applicable
2. a) and b) i): As follows:
| Number of failed Tests | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Address | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| REDACTED, Hills View, Braunton, EX33 2LA | 1 | 1 | |||
| REDACTED, East Down, EX31 4NA | 2 | ||||
| REDACTED, Umberleigh, EX37 9AD | 2 | ||||
| REDACTED, Georgeham, EX33 1LA | 1 | 8 | |||
| REDACTED, Georgeham, Braunton, EX33 1LA | 3 | 1 | |||
| REDACTED, Shirwell, Barnstaple, EX31 4LF | 1 | ||||
| REDACTED, Charles, Barnstaple, EX32 7PY | 1 | ||||
| REDACTED, Filleigh, Barnstaple, EX32 0RJ | 1 | ||||
| REDACTED, South Molton, EX36 3EH | 5 | ||||
| REDACTED, Ilfracombe, EX34 9RW | 1 | 1 | |||
| REDACTED, Nethercott, Braunton, EX33 1HT | 1 | ||||
| REDACTED, Nethercott, Braunton, EX33 1HT | 4 | ||||
| REDACTED, Shirwell, Barnstaple, EX31 4LB | 6 | ||||
| Total in each year |
5 |
5 |
3 |
20 |
7 |
Some of the address information has been redacted. The Council considers this to be exempt under Regulation 13 of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 as the information constitutes personal data. A disclosure of the addresses in full would enable the property owners/tenants to be identified. For example, a search on the full address of the second property listed leads to a published planning application from earlier this year via the Council website and which names the planning applicant who would likely be the property owner. The individuals concerned would have no reasonable expectation for the Council to make their personal information publicly available, particularly as a disclosure under the Regulations is not just to the requester, but also to the world at large
Regulation 13(1) provides that personal data shall not be disclosed if one of the conditions in Regulation 13(2A), (2B) or (3A) are satisfied. In this case Regulation 13 (2A)(a) is met because disclosure of this information would amount to a breach of the fair processing provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation, therefore, by virtue of Regulation 13 of the Environmental Information Regulations, the Council is exempt from any obligation to disclose the redacted information
b) ii) and iii) this information is not recorded by the Council, therefore for the purposes of the Regulations, the Council does not hold this information
Request reference: FOI 10259
Issue date: 22.11.24
Request received:
From January 2022 up to date:
1 A. Details of all council initiatives and programmes funded for the purpose of refugee settlement and comfort in the council area
For example, local events, classes, cultural events, entertainment, book provision
Can you break this down by initiative, cost, and if possible, who provided the service on behalf of the council (if external)
So, for example
2022
Mobile Library, cost £500, provided by Mobile Library Ltd
Music night, cost £600, provided by (redacted)
Yearly total £1100
2023
Dance night, cost £100, provided by council staff
Yearly total £100
Please redact provider if this would identify an individual
I am particular interest in cultural and entertainment events
B For each of the above, can you specify where the funding was sourced from: that is was it money from the council, or claimed from central government through a refugee support scheme
C Can you please provide yearly total of council spend for the purpose of refugee settlement and comfort in the council area
Part 2
How much money has the council claimed/received from central government
For the purpose of refugee settlement and comfort in the council area
For example, under the schemes
United Kingdom Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Mandate Resettlement Scheme, Community Sponsorship Scheme, Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP), and Afghanistan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme
What was the total funds received?
Please can you break this down by scheme, and by year, with totals provided for each year?
Response provided:
The Council confirms that it does hold some of this information. In discharge of its obligation under section 1(1)(b) the Council’s Refugee Resettlement Housing Officer provides the following response:
1A. It is difficult to quantify this information as the council commissions the Pickwell Foundation for Homes or Ukraine and ARAP support, therefore it would not hold individual amounts for any events; nor does the Council hold any events directly. Additionally, as the Pickwell Foundation is a Charity that has areas of function outside of the Local Authority Funding, many of the events organised may be done so through Pickwell’s own volition and not associated with North Devon Council and its funding streams
The following amounts are what the Council has paid to VSC organisations for each scheme. From this amount they provide wraparound resettlement support for the schemes, which may occasionally include celebrations for religious festivals such as Eid and Ukrainian Easter, though this is not the main focus of the funding
Part 2: Homes for Ukraine Scheme
Total Income from MHCLG cumulative to date = £1,668,730
2022/23: MHCLG Income = £1,330,550
Pickwell (VCS) Commission amount = £178,175.00
Sunrise (VCS) Commission amount = £14,517.00
2023/24:
MHCLG Income - £264,950
Pickwell (VCS) Commission amount = £241,500.00
2024/25:
MHCLG Income - £73,230
Pickwell (VCS) Commission amount = £127,000.00
Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP):
Total Income received from the Home Office cumulative to date = £752,400
2023/24:
Gov Grant income = £157,150
Pickwell (VCS) commission amount = £84,098
2024/25:
Gov Grant Income = £595,250
Pickwell (VCS) commission amount = £212,295
Request reference: FOI 10260
Issue date: 25.11.24
Request received:
1. The total number of residential council tax accounts that are currently in credit
2. The total amount of these credits across all households in credit, in pounds (£)
Response provided:
1. 1,053
2. £224,394.84
Request reference: FOI 10261
Issue date: 25.11.24
Request received:
1. How many Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) home adaptations were refused by a) private landlords and b) housing associations in the following financial years?
i) 2019-20
ii) 2020-21
iii) 2021-22
iv) 2022-23
v) 2023-24
vi) A combined total from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2024
NB: If figures cannot be broken down by type of landlord i e private landlord or housing association landlord), please give a figure for the number of DFG home adaptations refused by all landlords combined, for each of parts i to vi.
2. How many Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) home adaptations were completed for individuals living in private rented accommodation in the following financial years?
i) 2019-20
ii) 2020-21
iii) 2021-22
iv) 2022-23
v) 2023-24
3. How many DFG home adaptations were completed for individuals living in social housing provided by housing associations in the following financial years?
i) 2019-20
ii) 2020-21
iii) 2021-22
iv) 2022-23
v) 2023-24
4. How many DFG home adaptations were completed for individuals living in social housing provided by the council in the following financial years?
i) 2019-20
ii) 2020-21
iii) 2021-22
iv) 2022-23
v) 2023-24
Response provided:
1. i) 2019-20 (a) 1 (b) 1
ii) 2020-21 (a) 0 (b) 5
iii) 2021-22 (a) 0 (b) 4
iv) 2022-23 (a) 0 (b) 3
v) 2023-24 (a) 0 (b) 1
vi) A combined total from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2024 (a) 1 (b) 14 = 15
2. i) 2019-20 = 9
ii) 2020-21 = 8
iii) 2021-22 = 6
iv) 2022-23 = 6
v) 2023-24 = 4
3 and 4. The Council does not have any housing stock; this was transferred to North Devon Homes Ltd, 21.02.2000
i) 2019-20 N/A
ii) 2020-21 N/A
iii) 2021-22 N/A
iv) 2022-23 N/A
v) 2023-24 N/A
Request reference: FOI 10262
Issue date: 22.11.24
Request received:
Regarding: Chittlehampton C of E Primary School, Chittlehampton, Umberleigh, EX37 9QW, for the period: 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25
1. The names of the ratepayers for the property listed below during the mentioned periods, if split occupier please can you provide dates of occupancy
2. The business rates charges for the same periods with any TR/reliefs and exemptions
Response provided:
Liable parties:
01.04.22 – 30.08.22 = The Secretary, Chittlehampton C of E Primary School
31.08.22 onwards = Diocese of Exeter
Business Rates Charges:
01.04.22 – 31.03.23 = £3,243.50
01.04.23 – 31.03.24 = £2,794.40
01.04.24 – 31.03.24 = £2,794.40
Please note that there was no TR for these periods; the only relief was 80% Charitable Rate Relief for the period 01.04.22 – 30.08.22
Request reference: FOI 10263
Issue date: 29.11.24
Request received:
The data for the period from April 1st 2023 to March 31st 2024:
1. Playground Closures:
The number of playgrounds permanently closed
2. New Playgrounds:
The number of new playgrounds opened
3. Reports of Vandalism:
The total number of vandalism reports in playgrounds
If available, provide details of the types of vandalism reported (e g graffiti, damage to equipment)
4. Number of Injuries in Play Parks:
The total number of injuries reported in playgrounds, broken down by type of injury
If available, a breakdown of injuries by specific equipment (e g swings, slides, climbing frames)
5. Inspection Frequency:
The frequency with which playgrounds are inspected by the council
Response provided:
1. Playground closures = Zero
2. New Playgrounds = One
3. Reports of vandalism = Zero
4. Number of injuries = Zero
5. Inspection Frequency:
Routine inspections 1, 2 or 3 times per week depending on use. All sites receive 3 x operational inspections per year and all sites receive an independent annual inspection each year
Request reference: FOI 10264
Issue date: 22.11.24
Request received:
1. How many Car Parks do you operate?
2. Which company provides your current mobile payment solution?
3. What date did the contract with your mobile payment solution start?
4. What date is the contract with your mobile payment solution company due to end?
5. What charge does the mobile payment company make to provide a payment solution?
6. How is the cost structured with your mobile payment solution in terms of the contract?
Having looked at your current financial statements, please could you help us break down the parking information for mobile parking solutions by providing:
7. What is the total revenue of your parking operations, for each the last 3 financial years?
8. What is the total revenue via mobile payment solution for each of the last 3 financial years?
Response provided:
1. North Devon Council owns and operates 44 car parks and enforces an additional 15 other car parks that are owned by other Councils
2. RingGo
3. August 2024
4. August 2026, no option to extend
5. Five pence per transaction
6. As above
7. 2024/25 up to October 2024 = £1,875,859.93
2023/24 = £3,422,961.72
2022/23 = £2,316,510.37
8. 2024/25 up to October 2024 = £1,442,838.20
2023/24 = £2,088,166.20
2022/23 = £1,555,073.30